Apparatus for handling sheet-metal plates during the process of coating with molten metal.



No. 672,663. Patented Apr. 23, I901.

' J. BAXTER, C. HILLMAN &. D. CLARKE. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL PLATES DURING THE PROCESS OF COATING WITH MOLTEN METAL. (Application filed Aug. 22, 1900.) (Ila Model.)

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No. 672,663. Patented Apr. 23, I91.

- J. BAXTER, C. HILLMAN 8|, 0. CLARKE. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET METAL PLATES DURING THE PROCESS OF COATING WITH MOLTEN METAL.

(Applicatio'n .filed Aug. 22, 1900.\

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOHN BAXTER, OF NEWCASTLE, PENNSYLVANIA, CHARLES HILLMAN, OF MIDDLETOWN, INDIANA, AND OLIVER CLARKE, OF NEWCASTLE,

PENNSYLVANIA.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING SHEET-METAL PLATES DURING THE PROCESS OF COATING WITH MOLTEN METAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 672,663, dated April 23, 1901.

Application filed August 22, 1900.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN BAXTER, residing at Newcastle, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, CHARLES HILLMAN, residing at Middletown, Henry county, Indiana, and OLIVER CLARKE, residing at Newcastle, Lawrence county, Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Handling Sheet-Metal Plates During the Process of Coating with Molten Metal; and we do hereposited upon a carrier or placed in a pile.

This operation is slow, tedious, expensive, and requires exceeding care on the part of the attendant to avoid jarring or bending of the plate, either of which destroys the texture and finish of the coating.

This invention provides mechanical means to supplant the helper, thereby greatly cheapening the process and increasing the output, besides reducing the chances of spoiling the work to a minimum degree.

For a full description of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction of the means for effecting the result reference is to be had to the appended description and drawings hereto attached.

While theessential and characteristic features of the invention are necessarily susceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus, showing it operatively related. Fig. 2 is a detail view of a portion of the conveyer.

Serial No. 27,637. (No model.)

Fig. 3 is a diagram showing the direction of the circuits.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The molten metal is contained in a pot 1, of any capacity and form, and a pair of presrure-rolls 2 is located at one side of the pot in the ordinary manner for the sheet-metal plates 3 to pass between for the removal of surplus metal. These parts are of Well-known construction in the art of coating sheet-metal plates with tin, zinc, or a composition thereof. The metal plates to be coated are passed through the molten bath and between the pressure-rolls 2 in the usual manner, and as they emerge from between the pressure-rolls the plates are taken up automatically by an endless conveyer 4, which, together with the adjunctive parts, constitutes the essenceof the present invention.

The conveyer 4 is supported by means of a series of direction-rollers 5, applied to a framework 6 of suitable formation, and may be of any length and run in any desired direction, according to the space and location of the apparatus and plant. The endless conveyer 4 may be of textile or any material suitable for the purpose and is provided at its longitudinal edges with conducting-strips '7 and 8, which are preferably of copper. A series of m agilO are located at intervals in the length of the conveyer and are spaced apart a distance to insure contact of two or more with the metal plates 3. In the preferable construction the elements 10 are electromagnets, and the terminals of the wires thereof are electrically connected with the conduct ing-strips 7 and 8. The magnets are preferably provided in pairs, and the magnets of each pair are oppositely disposed, or in transverse alinement. The magnets are secured to the conveyer in any convenient way, and the terminals of the wires of the magnets of the several pairs are connected, as shown at 11, and the opposite terminals are connected spond to the poles of a battery or generatorand are electrically connected therewith by means of conductors 12 and 13. When the circuit is completed, the magnets are energized and attract the sheet-metal plates" 3' as they are ;sheet-metal:plates with-molten-metal, an endbrought intothefield thereof. The portion of the conveyer adjacent to the pot 1, containing the molten bath, is vertically arranged, so as to move the plates in a vertical direction, which is essential in ordernot to dis turb the surface of the metal deposited upon the plates in their passage through the bath. The rear portion of the conveyer is inclined,

and arrns'14 project across the'path' of the ofdischarge, where the plates are rec ivedou; the rack of thecleaning-machine. An'artn l l" isipla'ced at each side of the convey'er is attached at its u' pe end mtne'fram or the machine and inclines rearwardly and downwardly. These arms alin'e' transversely and engagewith the edge portions of the plates 3, projecting beyond the sides of the con'-' v'eyer, as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, and loosen said plates, as will be readily'comprehen ded (in reference to Fig. 1. H

The conducting-strips 7" and 8" are' endless and'comparativel'y narrow and are secured to the edge portions of the'conve'yer in any desired manner. Brushes1'5 an'd'j16 are connected to the poles of the battery or genemar 17' By means of the wires' l 2'and 13a n'd are in electrical connection with the conductors?- a'ndS, thereby completing the circuit through the series of magnets and energizing t'hernwhen the apparatus is in working con"- dition. The brushes 1'5 and 16 are preferspringsupport's 18, by neans of which they are heldin contact with the conductors-'7 and 5 8" under all conditions. 7 I

The operation of the apparatus may be briefly stated as follows: The sheet-metal 1 plates's as they e'merg'e from"hetween the pressure-rolls 2 enter the field of the adjacent'ma'gnets of the conveyer and are attracted thereby and elevated vertically and thence carried away from the coating mechanism to a suitable point of discharge, according to theeconor'ny of the plant. Asthe plates reach the rear portion of the conveyer they a're'gently detached'there'from by means oft'he oblit uely-disposedariiis 14,down which the plates slide to the point of final discharge.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is v 1. Tu" combination" with" means for' coating less conveyer comprising a vertical, a horizontal and a rear portion, electromagnets provided in pairs and located at intervals in the length" o'fY the endless} conveyer, endless conducting-strips secured to the said endless conveyer and having the helices of the respective pairs of electromagnets connected I therewith at? one endand havingthecopposite end electrically connected, and brushes formj ng terminals of an electric circuit and in electrical connection with the respective endless conducting sti'ip, sue-saunas as set forth.

2". In' coriibihation witli rnechani'sinffor coatinsheet -metal plates w-ith molten metal; an

' endless"conveyerfcomprising a' vertical; horizental' and a rear portion,endle'ss conducting strip's applied wastageportions of the endles'sconve-yer, pair'sfoFelectrmnagnets diS= posed at intervals I in the" length of the end less ddilv'y'l and havingthe helices of the respective 'pairselectrica'lly cennecfted at one en and ha'vihg' the oppos-ite (and in=electricai connection with the respective endless eon d uct in-g strips, sprin'g s u-ppbrts forming" the terminals'of anelectfric circuitl'reiia'ry brushes mamma upon I the s'a id sprin 'g 's u-ppqrts, and electrically connecting themwiththe aforesaid" endless"conducting strips; and inclined 1 arms located atthe sides of' the endless con- 3 veyer and adapted tof defiaeh the plates from the delivery or rear portion} ef the said cen- 1: ve'ye'r, substantially assetforthr ablyof ther'oller type and are secured to I i V i i tures' in presence of witnesses.

In testimony whereof we affix our sign-a- J GEN BQXXTER, CHARLES} HILLMAN. OLIVER? CLARKE; Witnesses as to John Baxt'er:

D. N. KEAsT, Si N. CARR; H Witnesses as to Charles Hillm'an F. A. WIsEHhRT, ALFRED BARRY. Witnesses as to O1iver'G1'arkei HERMAN .1. WITH EARL F. RYBoL'r. 

